I didn’t sleep so well, there seemed to people (cars) coming and going at all hours (or so it seemed). This together with some bizarre grasshopper sound, almost like an alarm. I did look out of the tent for it once, but couldn’t see anything or gauge a direction – except to the tent next door. I did put a lock on my bike when the first late set of headlightscame in, for the first time since Euston Station. I think I just have an irrational feat of wild camping (or even semi-wild camping). The wildest bit of this campsite, was trying to find a bush to pee behind, when all the plants were only one foot tall!

Anyway, I woke about 6:30, the tide was coming in and I nipped down to the beach to see a man about a dog! It was a lovely morning and I put the kettle on and started planning the next couple of days. Firstly, booking the Stornoway to Ullapool ferry to get me back to the mainland on Monday morning (leaving at 7am, and check-in no doubt earlier). I also booked this mornings crossing from Bernay to Harris. It doesn’t seem like you have to book as a cyclist, as there is plenty of room, but whether you actually buy a ticket if you haven’t booked seems a bit arbitrary. It’s more of an honesty system. On the subject of a honesty, there was an honesty box at the campsite, with a suggestion of £15. This seems a bit steep for a cyclist (I only paid £9 in my favorite site so far), but I paid – using BACS rather than cash, as the idea/location is brilliant. This also allowed me to feed back on the cyclist cost using the payment reference section.

The ferry was at 9:30, and check-in at 9:00 so I was keen to get away by 8:00 to allow 100% factor of safety on the 7km ride. Billy was also ready, and by the sounds of things had done a much more through job trying to find the “insect”, by walking around the camp, without success. I was sort of dreading the climb back up to the road, as it seemed steep and rough on the way in. In fact it was an easy climb while chatting. On the way Billy spotted a Sea Eagle, it was certainly a massive bird, but hard to see as it always kept a mountain behind, not appearing against the sky. I can’t even see it in the photo I took (in my defence it was very rushed, and taken from a bouncing bicycle moving at a significant speed).

We reached the causeway between North Uist and Bernay. Its quite a long one, and was only opened in 1999. We were the first bikes to arrive, although there were lots of cars and vans hoping to get their space. While a bicycle and rider is £4.05 for the hour crossing, a car and driver is over £21 plus £4.05 for each passenger. A big motorhome could be over £60. Bicycle is certainly the way to travel.

Gradually more bikes appeared. It good to chat to people that you have just waved to in previous days. Chatted to a Czech couple I had seen a few times, they had previously walked the Hebridian Way, so knew what the we getting into. A lady walker appeared, I’m not sure she was having a good time, and said not many other walkers. At boarding time, I think there were plenty of other walkers, so maybe the ferry is the oppertunity to meet others. The other people to appear were the e-bikers, as I said before, I’m sure the oldest one is a lady in her eighties. I’m a bit worried if she is using an electrically powered bike now, she’s not going to have anything in reserve for when she is 100. Except, I may suggest, the slippery slope of  500 watt motors, hacked controllers, a black balaclava, and probably prison! I’ll leave it there ;)

The ferry takes a most tortuous route between the islands. I tried to put my strava on, but failed. This map shows the route.

At Leverburg, on Harris, I said goodbye to Billy, athough we are both catching the same Stornoway ferry on Monday, so I’m sure we will meet up. I had a tall order in front of me. There is a big gap in campsites, so I was trying to reach Eilean Fraoich Camp Site which was 115 km away. There were some pretty big hills on route. I’d broken it down to, 35km to Tarbet for breakfast/lunch. I hadn’t eaten anything for breakfast and only had coffee. It seemed that there shouldn’t be too much climbing on this leg (I must say that this is completely subjective, and included some of the hardest hill so far).

As soon as I left Leverburg, a rain squall hit. If you do nothing, you are very, very wet in no time at all. If you do something, like grab a coat, you are both wet under your coat, and on top of your coat. But with no idea how long the rain will last, you have no choice! I put my new florescent jacket on, the first time I’d really needed it. I was beginning to think the jacket was an omen that would keep the rain away. It does but only for four days.

The rain soon stopped, or became more sporadic, but the jacket performed well. Its probably a bit on the large side, as I bought it while wearing my puffer jacket, but this offers extra power. When there is a tail wind it acts like a sail carrying you along, and when there is a headwind its like a sail holding you back, unless you remember to zip it up fully, in which case you overheat. It’s hard to win. The scenery was stunning, with lochs and mist shrouded mountains. Eventually I reached the west coast and glorious beaches with, what I’m sure, some of the best surf in the country.

I passed Horgabost, where Billy was heading later. It looked a really cool campsite set in the dunes.

Eventually, I reached Tarbet and stopped at the first Deli I could see (Tarbet is a pretty happening place, its got a deli). I bought too many things, but I did eat them all in one sitting today. I didn’t waste too much time and headed off on the second section. This was about 50km to a possible food stop in a service station.

This leg was brutal, and headed up, and up I to the mountains. Very early on, I had to walk about 200 metres as it was too steep (and too busy to wobble, sorry, zig-zag, all over the road). I thought I was doomed to a lot of walking, but I’m pleased to say that was the only section.

It was really hard, but really spectacular. I passed a Dutch couple cycling (I think I assume anyone foreign, who is cycling and wearing an orange tabard, is Dutch – I don’t think this is an unreasonable deduction). They were having a hard day, but in some form of sadistic pleasure, I seemed to feel better and really pushed on. I did get a fair bit of tailwind assistance, and after I’d taken off my waterproof jacket, I could start to feel the wind on my back, especially on the “wet bits”, it felt almost like sailing.

I reached Leurbost, where I needed to turn off the A859. When I set my Garmin cycle computer up, it said, turn off in 79km. So it was nice to get here with a final leg of 35km. I knew there wasn’t any food further on, so I  needed to stop and buy dinner. The choice was pretty poor. I can demonstrate that, by telling you I came out with a tin of lentil soup and rolls (from the Baker I stopped at yesterday). I also bought a few cakes, a can  of Irn-Bru.

The next section was hard. The wind has turned into my swarn enemy. For miles across blank moorland, on dead straight roads I pedalled into a really stiff wind. Did I say it was hard.

The route eventually turned north east again and the wind started helping. I’d often wondered how useful the “direction” function on my garmin was, but it’s so useful in conditions like this. Just any swing from W or NW, to N or NE made such a difference.

Since the first mini shower this morning, the weather had stayed pretty good, however at 20 km to go all this changed. It started pouring down. There was nowhere to hide. I’d already stopped to refuel swith food from the petrol station just sat on the kerb in the wind, as the bus shelter spacing seemed erratic. There was never one when you needed it, and after committing to whatever (eating, drinking, checking to route etc), loads would come along together. There was no shelter to get my waterproof gear on. Coat, overshoes and fancy plastic bag to protect the front bag. It was dim enough to put my lights on. I’d had the dynamo lights on for a while, but disconnected the USB battery pack charger in case it was dimming them, and a flasher on the back.

The last few miles were hard, I frequently stopped on hills, often just below the summit where my resolve had given up. There were a series of punishing little climbs in the last few kms.

I arrived at the campsite, and was welcomed into the office despite my drowned appearance. I was really lucky that the rain subsided while I put my tent up, I think wind and rain would have been too much. I crashed in the tent for a while, and eventually had dinner. I snubbed the lentil soup and ate anything else I could lay my hands on, the worst bit was no Scottish beer. I had to drink Moretti, almost the only thing in the petrol station.

It’s a really nice site and has a laundry. I think I need to wait and see what the weather is like tomorrow. I have two options. Cycle direct to Stornoway, 30km, and I have booked a hotel. Or, add an additional 50km, 25km out and back to the Butt of Lewis to finish the Hebridian Way. I do need to remember I still have over a weeks touring to do, and a late morning doing laundry and a gentle cycle into town (only 200 metres climbing) is appealing. It will be a complete no-brainer if it’s raining!